1998 Dodge Ram Club Cab Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1998 Dodge Ram Club Cab, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering320.0%
- Engine320.0%
- Airbags213.3%
- Driver assistance16.7%
- Fuel system16.7%
- Other / unspecified16.7%
- Tires & wheels16.7%
- Transmission16.7%
- Body & structure16.7%
- Brakes16.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING WANDERS. *AK
DURANGO RADIAL A/T 285/75R16
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY PICK-UP SINCE DAY-1.MY ROTORS WERE WARPED FROM THE BEGINNING(THIS BEING A BRAND NEW VEHICLE). THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE FROM MY ENGINE; I THOUGHT WERE THE VALVES. SIX YEARS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT OVER HEATED MY ENGINE,TRANSMISSION, AND RADIATOR. I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY PERIOD SO IT COST ME OVER 3,000 DOLLARS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE YEAR BEFORE AND AFTER MY MODEL WERE ON RECALL,QUIT PUZZLING OR DENIAL FOR PROFIT. I AM NOW ON MY FOURTH RADIATOR WITH ONLY 116,000 MILES. MY TRANSMISSION HAD TO HAVE MAJOR WORK DONE ON IT FROM THE HEAT CAUSED FROM THE CAD PLUGGING UP. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY RADIATOR,WATER PUMP,VALVES,PISTON RINGS,AND SEALS. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF OUT OF POCKET DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I AM PISSED THAT A SIMPLE PART RUINED SO MUCH OF MY TRUCK,ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY RECALLED THE SAME PART IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO MINE AND THE YEAR FOLLOWING. SEEMS REAL FISHY TO ME. ALSO,I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ADVERSE EFFECT OR NOT,BUT I HAVE BEEN HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. I HAVE HAD MY CALIBERS REPLACED TWICE,MY ROTORS IMMEDIATELY UPON PURCHASE,AND MY REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS. ALL WITHIN 116,000 MILES. I JUST REPLACED MY ROTORS AGAIN RECENTLY. ALL OF THIS SEEMS REALLY PREPOSTEROUS TO ME IN THE 21ST CENTURY. I HAD A 1976 GRAND PRIX BACK IN THE 1990'S AND HAD LESS PROBLEMS THAN THIS PICK-UP. I AM E-MAILING YOU BECAUSE I AM SICK AND TIRED OF JUST TAKING IT. I AM TIRED OF CORP. JUST PUSHING US AMERICANS AROUND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
ENGINE WOULD NOT THROTTLE DOWN ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT. HAS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT DAYS BEGINNING 06/17/2006. CURRENTLY DRIVING OTHER VEHICLE UNTIL PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE PASSING A VAN ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VAN THAT RAN STOP SIGN AND PUSHED FRONT END OF 1998 DODGE CLUB CAB P/U INTO THE FRONT SEAT AREA. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED RESULTING IN INJURIES TO MYSELF AND STEP SON. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. INFORMED CHRYSLER OF ACCIDENT AND THE RESULTS(INJURIES) AND THEY MORE OR LESS LAUGHED AT ME BECAUSE THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD ALREADY SOLD MY VEHICLE FOR SCRAP. WITHOUT THE VEHICLE THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS ON THIS CHRYSLER PRODUCT. I INFORMED CHRYSLER THAT I HAD PICTURES OF THE TRUCK BUT THAT WASN'T SUFFICIENT FOR THEM. THEY ARE SORRY PEOPLE IF THS IS THE WAY THEY TREAT CUSTOMERS AND DO BUSINESS.
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED CONSUMER TO HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL UPON IMPACT RESULTING IN A MILD CONCUSION. NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPEED CONTROL SERVO FAILED. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE PASSING A VAN ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VAN THAT RAN STOP SIGN AND PUSHED FRONT END OF 1998 DODGE CLUB CAB P/U INTO THE FRONT SEAT AREA. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED RESULTING IN INJURIES TO MYSELF AND STEP SON. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. INFORMED CHRYSLER OF ACCIDENT AND THE RESULTS(INJURIES) AND THEY MORE OR LESS LAUGHED AT ME BECAUSE THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD ALREADY SOLD MY VEHICLE FOR SCRAP. WITHOUT THE VEHICLE THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS ON THIS CHRYSLER PRODUCT. I INFORMED CHRYSLER THAT I HAD PICTURES OF THE TRUCK BUT THAT WASN'T SUFFICIENT FOR THEM. THEY ARE SORRY PEOPLE IF THS IS THE WAY THEY TREAT CUSTOMERS AND DO BUSINESS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB WITH COOPER FUTURA DAKOTA H/T TIRES, LINE SIZE 33X/12.5/R15. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TREAD OF THE TIRE HAD SEPARATED BUT THE TIRE WAS NOT FLAT. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO MAIL THE TIRE IN FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS 93,250. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS 4,800.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF DRIVE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, DUE TO DESIGN OF VEHICLE'S V-10 WHICH IS SO HEAVY CAUSING THE FRAME TO FLEX AND THE TRANSMISSION IS DESIGNED WITH NO "DETENT" TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE (DESIGN FLAW). MJS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 98 DODGE RAM PICK DASH IS COMPLETELY FALLING APART I'VE SEEN MANY OTHER DODGE TRUCKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THE WIRING IS EXPOSED IN THE DASH AND APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD IF YOU WHERE TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY PICK-UP SINCE DAY-1.MY ROTORS WERE WARPED FROM THE BEGINNING(THIS BEING A BRAND NEW VEHICLE). THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE FROM MY ENGINE; I THOUGHT WERE THE VALVES. SIX YEARS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT OVER HEATED MY ENGINE,TRANSMISSION, AND RADIATOR. I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY PERIOD SO IT COST ME OVER 3,000 DOLLARS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE YEAR BEFORE AND AFTER MY MODEL WERE ON RECALL,QUIT PUZZLING OR DENIAL FOR PROFIT. I AM NOW ON MY FOURTH RADIATOR WITH ONLY 116,000 MILES. MY TRANSMISSION HAD TO HAVE MAJOR WORK DONE ON IT FROM THE HEAT CAUSED FROM THE CAD PLUGGING UP. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY RADIATOR,WATER PUMP,VALVES,PISTON RINGS,AND SEALS. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF OUT OF POCKET DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I AM PISSED THAT A SIMPLE PART RUINED SO MUCH OF MY TRUCK,ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY RECALLED THE SAME PART IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO MINE AND THE YEAR FOLLOWING. SEEMS REAL FISHY TO ME. ALSO,I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ADVERSE EFFECT OR NOT,BUT I HAVE BEEN HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. I HAVE HAD MY CALIBERS REPLACED TWICE,MY ROTORS IMMEDIATELY UPON PURCHASE,AND MY REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS. ALL WITHIN 116,000 MILES. I JUST REPLACED MY ROTORS AGAIN RECENTLY. ALL OF THIS SEEMS REALLY PREPOSTEROUS TO ME IN THE 21ST CENTURY. I HAD A 1976 GRAND PRIX BACK IN THE 1990'S AND HAD LESS PROBLEMS THAN THIS PICK-UP. I AM E-MAILING YOU BECAUSE I AM SICK AND TIRED OF JUST TAKING IT. I AM TIRED OF CORP. JUST PUSHING US AMERICANS AROUND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .